Field of the Invention
This application is directed, in general, to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) and, more specifically, to systems and methods for ensuring that sensed data from a sensor logically paired with the compressor, from among a set of two, or more, compressors configured for tandem operation, to which the sensor is physically coupled.
Description of the Related Art
Some HVAC systems utilize one or more tandem compressor arrangements. Tandem compressors may share common refrigerant piping. Specifically, the suction pipe leg for each compressor configured for tandem operation may fork off from a single, common suction pipe. Similarly, the discharge pipe leg for each compressor configured for tandem operation may merge into a single, common discharge pipe. The tandem compressor arrangement may allow for efficient HVAC system operation by providing greater ability to match partial load demands on the HVAC system while still allowing for high overall system capacity during full load operation.
One disadvantage of the tandem compressor arrangement is that the shared piping among the tandem compressors, and attendant merged refrigerant flow, can make monitoring specific compressor operation and identifying specific compressor failures difficult. For example, the tandem compressor arrangement can render a discharge pressure switch incapable of identifying the specific failing compressor among the tandem compressors when an over-pressure condition is sensed. This may be due to the merged discharge piping among the tandem compressors. The discharge pressure switch may sense the combined pressure from all compressors configured for tandem operation, and lack a means for discerning the specific compressor, or compressors, causing the failure condition.
In HVAC systems utilizing a tandem compressor arrangement, it is critical for individual monitoring of the performance and operation of each compressor of tandem compressor arrangement that the refrigerant discharge temperature exiting each of the tandem compressors be accurately sensed. The HVAC systems provided with tandem compressors commonly place a temperature sensor at, or near, the discharge port of each compressor of the tandem compressor arrangement to sense the refrigerant discharge temperature specific to each compressor of the tandem compressor arrangement.
Unfortunately, the proximity of tandem compressors to one another within the compressor section of an HVAC system creates the possibility that these discharge temperature sensors may be installed on the incorrect compressor. Incorrect installation may destroy the ability of the HVAC system to monitor the performance the individual compressors configured for tandem operation since the temperature sensor and compressor pairing in the HVAC system control logic will not match the physical pairing of the components.